FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a valve control unit having a housing and an electronic circuit disposed therein for controlling valve coils mountable on valves, and to a method of attaching the valve control unit to a valve block. Such valve control units are used particularly for controlling a brake system or an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle.
A valve control unit of this general type has become known heretofore from the published European Patent Document EP 0 499 670 B1. In the production of this control unit, an aluminum plate, serving as a heat sink, is adhesively secured to a printed circuit board. Thereafter, the printed circuit board is outfitted with electronic components which are soldered therein. A coil carrier with an integrated plug-in terminal strip is produced as a hard/soft composite, by two injection molding operations. The thus outfitted and assembled printed circuit board is soldered into the coil carrier. Adhesive is thereupon metered into the sealing groove of the coil carrier, and a lid is placed thereon. The adhesive must then harden.
From the German Published, Non-Prosecuted Patent Application DE 43 00 342 A1, a control unit for a motor-vehicle air bag has become known, which has a tub-shaped housing formed as a three-dimensional printed circuit board. A full-surface metal layer is applied to an outer wall thereof. An inner wall thereof is provided with printed conductors or lines. A circuit can consequently be formed compactly and free of interference in the housing interior.